Palapye.com News Blog

Archive for June 5th, 2008

In the first quarter of 2008, mineral earnings continued to contribute significantly to the national coffers as both diamond and copper/nickel exports grew significantly compared to the last quarter of 2007.

According to a March 2008 financial statistics report from the Bank of Botswana(BoB), diamond exports grew by 63.6 percent and 53.9 measured in Pula and US Dollar terms respectively, when compared to exports in the last quarter of 2007.

Statistics show that a total of P3.9 billion worth of diamonds was exported between October and December 2007. This figure increased to P6.4 billion in the first three months of this year.

The second highest mineral export, copper and nickel, has also registered significant growth in the first quarter of this year, coming from P935 million last year to P1.4 billion between January and March this year.

“However, compared to the same period in 2007, the growth rates were much lower. Annual growth rates [continue reading]

GABORONE – Marsh, the worlds leading insurance broker and risk adviser has launched its Marsh Environmental Service (MES) division in Botswana.

According to a news release from the company MES is an environmental, health and safety consultancy to government, business and industry and is committed to enhancing profitability through pro-active environmental-focused risk management.

The release says MES provides Environmental Impact Assessment, legal compliance audits, project management, technical and legal solutions generation and review, as well as strategic environmental management for an extensive array of clients ranging from large mining companies, oil and energy multinationals, to developers and environmental affairs, government departments and parastatals.

MES Botswana was launched officially at Marshs offices in Gaborone on May 26 during a [continue reading]

After nearly two years, the Mass Media Complex Amphitheatre will soon be in use. .

The Principal Public Relations Officer of the Department of Broadcasting Simon Seisa confirmed yesterday that structures are in place to manage use of the facility located at the main entrance of Mass Media Complex in Phase II in Gaborone

Sources say use of the facility was halted by means of a directive because thugs were taking advantage of events held there to break into Btv and Radio Botswana buildings.

Seisa denies there was ever such a directive but has confirmed that [continue reading]

FRANCISTOWN – Gabz FM was launched in style in Francistown ,over the weekend, as fans of urban music, house and classics all had something to smile about.

The events kicked off during the day with a corporate launch for business people in Francistown.

During the evening it got even more exciting with popular Dee Jays Bunz, Lenti, Sid, Miles, OT and Justice dishing out house tunes, R&B mixes and a dash of old time hits till the wee hours of the morning.

Other highlights of the evening were live performances by Bomrapper Stagga, Buckshot and the untouchable THABO, who left fans wanting more.

Prior to all the dancing and screaming, the Mining Manager of Tati Nickel, Thuso Dikgaka said the launch of the radio station in Francistown shows the growth of the broadcasting industry as well as the prosperity of the [continue reading]

SEROWE – Three possible sites have been identified for the construction of the new Serowe Integrated Sport Facility following the closure of a P27 million sports complex due to structural defects.

The facility, which houses the football pitch, athletic running tracks, netball, volleyball, softball and tennis courts was built in 2002 and commissioned in 2003.

Its defects began to show immediately after the commissioning generating calls from various quarters for the construction of a new complex at a suitable site.

There were also suggestions for the rehabilitation of the complex.

Subsequently the government agreed to the construction of the new facility, as the refurbishment was going to cost the government dearly.

Assistant Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture, Mr Boniface Mabeo said in an interview that the Department of Building and Engineering Services (DBES) has identified the sites. Therefore preparations to undertake topographic surveys and soil tests are going on.

Listed near-term diamond producer DiamonEx has decided to offer all shareholders up to 5,000 Australian dollars (AUD), approximately P31,095, worth of new fully paid ordinary shares in order to raise funds needed to provide additional working capital during the ramp-up to full production at Lerala Diamond Mine.

The company, which is listed on the BSE, AIM and ASX, says in a statement that the shares offered are without brokerage costs, for 23.5 cents per fully paid ordinary share. The maximum number of shares that may be applied for is 21,275.

The company says the right to participate in the Shareholder Share Purchase Plan (SPP) is available to all shareholders who are registered as holders of fully paid ordinary shares on the three bourses. The offer is available before close of business today (Wednesday).
The offer is non-renounceable and will close on [continue reading]

JOHANNESBURG: Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition leader who placed first in Zimbabwe’s March elections and now faces a runoff with President Robert Mugabe, was detained by the police for nine hours on Wednesday and charged with drawing a big crowd, his party said. He was released late in the evening.

“It makes absolutely no sense that a presidential candidate in an election is arrested for attracting crowds of people,” the party said in a statement. The party said Tsvangirai was charged under the Public Order and Security Act, and it called the charge “spurious.”

Amnesty International condemned his detention as part of a “sharp and dangerous crackdown” that has included killings, torture and the intimidation of the political opposition and its supporters.

The opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, also said Wednesday that three people sleeping at one of its offices in Masvingo Province were shot dead by [continue reading]